Materials Life-Cycle and Waste Hierarchy
Definition
Material decisions should minimize demand and embodied impacts across the full life cycle, with prevention and reuse considered before recycling or downstream waste treatment.
Sourced Facts
- The guide connects material impacts to extraction, production, transportation, consumption, and disposal. PDF p. 78; guide p. 71
- It identifies reuse of existing buildings and salvaged materials, compact and flexible design, efficient framing, and operational source reduction as conservation strategies. PDF p. 78; guide p. 71 PDF p. 79; guide p. 72
- Product transparency tools such as life-cycle assessment, environmental product declarations, and ingredient disclosures can support comparison and reduce reliance on unsupported green claims. PDF p. 80; guide p. 73
- The waste hierarchy presented in the guide ranks source reduction, reuse, recycling, and waste-to-energy as preferred strategies for reducing landfill disposal, in that order. PDF p. 81; guide p. 74
Interpretation
Interpretation
Begin procurement with the question of whether new material is needed. When it is, compare verified life-cycle information and service performance; then plan for efficient installation, future adaptability, recovery, and documented waste handling.
Evidence
- Primary pages: PDF p. 78; guide p. 71, PDF p. 79; guide p. 72, PDF p. 80; guide p. 73, PDF p. 81; guide p. 74, PDF p. 82; guide p. 75, and PDF p. 83; guide p. 76
- Source note: LEED Core Concepts Guide - Third Edition > Materials and Resources